Swallow
Swallows are small, migratory birds belonging to the family Hirundinidae, characterized by their graceful flight and distinctive plumage. Typically ranging from 4 to 9.5 inches in length, these birds exhibit dark bluish feathering on their back, with a pale blue or white belly. They are known for their long, forked tail feathers, particularly prominent in males compared to females. Swallows are found across various regions, including North and South America, Europe, North Africa, and parts of Asia, migrating long distances to find warmer climates during the winter months.
Feeding primarily on flying insects, swallows have adapted their hunting techniques to include hovering over water to catch insects when conditions are less favorable. During the breeding season from April to August, swallows typically nest in sheltered areas such as barns or eaves. They are social birds but become territorial while nesting, often working in pairs to raise their young. Female swallows lay two to five eggs, which they incubate for about 10 to 21 days. The chicks remain in the nest for approximately three weeks before fledging, with swallows often raising multiple broods in a season. Known for their high, twittering calls, swallows typically have a lifespan of around four years, though some can live significantly longer.
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Swallow
The swallow often migrates, or travels, great distances during its winter migration. Some swallows tagged in Great Britain during the summer were found as far away as South Africa in the winter. The swallow has dark bluish plumage, or feathering, along its back and white plumage on its belly.
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Passeriformes
Family: Hirundinidae
Genus: Various (see below)
Species: Various (see below)
The swallow grows to 4 to 9 1/2 inches (10 to 24 centimeters) long and weighs 1/3 to 2 1/5 ounces (10 to 60 grams). It has bright blue, bluish-black, and bluish-gray plumage, or feathering, covering its head, back, and wings. Its belly is usually pale blue or white. Above and below the swallow's beak are two small patches of red feathering. The main difference in the appearance of the male and female swallows is in their tail feathers. The male swallow has long, forked tail feathers, while the female has shorter tail feathers.
The swallow may be found in many parts of the world, including North and South America, Europe, North Africa, sub-Saharan Africa, and Asia. It usually spends summers in temperate climates and winters in warmer places with more insects. During the summer, the swallow often nests in barns, garages, and house eaves. It also roosts, or rests, on reeds, branches, and power lines.
The swallow survives mainly on a diet of flying insects, especially large flies. Their body shape allows them to hunt as they fly. In bad weather, when flying insects are unavailable, swallows hover over ponds and lakes, snatching insects from the water's surface. If flying insects are scarce, swallows feed on caterpillars, grasshoppers, spiders, worms, snails, and crickets. Birds of prey like hawks, owls, and falcons prey on swallows.
The mating season for the swallow occurs between April and August. Although the swallow is social most of the year, it is solitary, or private, during the breeding season. During the breeding season, male and female swallows defend their small territories against other birds. The swallow is mainly solitary, but sometimes, pairs nest under one roof. Once a pair of swallows has chosen a nesting site, they build a nest. Old World swallows build mud nests and New World swallows are cavity-nesters, using holes in trees or old nests built by other species. After mating, the female lays two to five white eggs. Some are lightly spotted with brown markings. The female incubates, or warms, the eggs for 10 to 21 days. She does this by gently resting herself on top of her eggs. Once the eggs hatch, the chicks stay in the nest for 20 to 22 days. During this time, the chicks are fed by their parents. After 22 days, the chicks grow their flight feathers and are ready to fledge, or fly from the nest. The swallow usually has two or three broods, or groups of young, during each breeding season. The young from earlier broods often stay near the nest to help their parents with their new broods. They reach maturity after one year.
The swallow's call is a high, thin, twittering sound. The swallow's call sounds like the winding of a watch.
The swallow has an average life span of about four years. The oldest recorded age for the swallow is 16 years.
Species include:
African river martin Pseudochelidon eurystomina
Southern rough-winged swallow Stelgidopteryx ruficollis
Barn swallow Hirundo rustica
Blue swallow Hirundo atrocaerulea
Brown-chested martin Progne tapera
Cliff swallow Petrochelidon pyrrhonota
House martin Delichon urbicum
Pearl-breasted swallow Hirundo dimidiata
Purple martin Progne subis
Red-rumped swallow Cecropis daurica
Sand martin or bank swallow Riparia riparia
Galápagos martin Progne modesta
Tree swallow Tachycineta bicolor
White-eyed river martin Pseudochelidon sirintarae
Bibliography
Kirschbaum, Kari, and Jennifer Roof. "Tachycineta Bicolor" Animal Diversity Web, animaldiversity.org/accounts/Tachycineta‗bicolor. Accessed 15 May 2024.
"Swallow." A-Z Animals, 25 Oct. 2022, a-z-animals.com/animals/swallow. Accessed 15 May 2024.
"Swallow." The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB), www.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wildlife/swallow. Accessed 15 May 2024.